I left the dock at exactly 8:00, with a slight tide against star and no breeze making it an easy start to next part of the adventure. It was nice to be free of the boatyard and on my way down the river. I didn't have a chart of the upper wando river but it was well marked and I made my down without any problems. 


The loons were there as were the pelicans. The trees had definitely lost all there leaves if you told me I was going down the Connecticut river I wouldn't have argued. 


Star passed three container ships being loaded and unloaded, it's quite a sight. Thousands of containers that all have to be put on trucks and all done in the right order!  Up ahead were the two huge bridges that span the Wando and further south the Cooper river. As I looked down thru the bridges a very large container ship was making his way up the harbor and into the river. I decided that maybe he would want the whole center section and moved out of the way. But even with plenty of time and me in another section we passed each other at the bridge, it's amazing and scary how fast they move!

Container Ships have right of way!

Now all that I had to do was go around Charleston head up the Ashley river and find the entrance to the Wappo creek. Easy except now the tide had turned and was coming against me again, no matter it was warm with a light breeze and I had all day. Finding the entrance and going under the highway bridge I now had to go thru the Wappo creek bridge. As I got closer the current was stronger and I really didn't  know if the little engine that could- could. 


I came up on the bridge hailed the tender and she opened it right away for me. As I finally came close she said come along and bring her thru captain, I had to explain that I was giving her all's she's got and we were getting there!  Finally I got thru ,hailed the the tender and thanked her for her patience. It was by far the most stressful bridge opening cause I really didn't know if it was going to happen. Getting caught on the other side and being swept onto the bridge abbutments could ruin your whole day. In the end it all worked out and I pulled in behind an island not to far down the creek for the night, enough excitement for the first day back.